Too Late
by Kiarene
Summary: Nami hadn't realized she let a treasure slip through her fingers.
1. Chapter 1

**Too Late**

Belli signs flashed before her eyes as Nami read the poster greedily. It was an advertisement for a Valentine Day Ball. To her, that meant lots of rich and distracted couples, which meant easy pickings. Of course, there was the small matter of entry into the ball; a girl on her own would be a little suspicious. She didn't like it, but at least that idiot wasn't too bad-looking, and he had some style. Most importantly, he would listen to her. The other male members were out of the question.

"Oh Sanji-kun~~" Nami trilled.

"Yes Nami?" Sanji turned to her, pausing in his cooking.

Nami and Robin were seated in the galley, reading as Sanji prepared dinner.

Nami fluttered her lashes and waved the poster at Sanji. "Now, don't get the wrong idea. I merely need a cover to get in."

To her surprise, Sanji didn't go into his effusive display. Instead, the blond actually look a little discomfitted. "Uh, Nami-san…"

"All you have to do is dress nicely and go to the Ball with me." Nami went on, dreaming of gold. "Inot is a rich island, from what I've read. Easy."

Sanji cleared his throat, now looking quite uncomfortable. "I'm really sorry Nami-san, but I can't..."

Nami's eyes and tone sharpened. "What do you mean, you can't?" Surely he was not getting an attack of conscience, was he? But he had always done what she wanted before.

Sanji paled slightly, but went on. "I won't be free that day. I have plans."

Oh, right. It was Valentine's Day. Of course _Sanji_ would have plans. "Oh pooh. You plan to pick up a girl at port? I'm sorry, but you can't. This is more important," Nami said dismissively.

"No, I'm not picking up any girl at port… I have _never_ done that." Sanji's eyes looked hurt and strained. A faint blush stained his cheeks. "I mean… I have plans. With my lover."

Nami nearly fell out of her chair. His lover? _Who_? _Where_? They were in the middle of the Grand Line! In fact, they were still sailing, reaching the next island of Inot only the next day. The poster had arrived by sea gull, distributed to all ships that were within a day or two's sail from the island.

"Your lover?!" Nami spluttered incredulously. The thought of _Sanji_ with a _lover_ spun her head. "_Who_?"

Nami's eyes immediately slid to Robin, who smiled and shook her head. "I'm afraid it's not me."

"Is it somebody from another ship?" Nami asked suspiciously. Sanji shook his head vehemently.

"Then it has to be somebody on this ship…?" Nami asked Sanji, stunned. The dots were there but she was having problems connecting them.

Sanji nodded, an almost shy look on his face as he went back to cooking. He quickly cut up the last bits of vegetables and slid the contents of the chopping board into the stew pot. "Ah, we're still a bit new… I mean, as a couple… so I didn't want to make it a big deal yet…"

Nami didn't really listen to Sanji. If it wasn't her and it wasn't Robin... Other than herself and Robin, everyone else on the ship was male. "You're gay?!"

"I believe the term is bi. After all, we all know Sanji-kun likes girls too." Robin cut in. Nami eyed the older woman. Was it her imagination, or did Robin seem cooler all of a sudden? And did Robin stress on the word "we"?

"Haha… Yeah, like Robin-chwan said, I'm bi. Sorta. I prefer women, of course… my lover is an exception…" Sanji mumbled, cheeks still red. He washed and dried his hands, eyes looking down.

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about," Robin said calmly. "And I think the two of you are wonderful together."

"You know?" Nami and Sanji asked simultaneously.

Robin shrugged. "The clues were all there. It was not difficult." She gave Sanji a reassuring smile.

"Robin-chwan is so observant." Sanji grinned at her.

"Wait wait," Nami growled at Sanji. "Who's your lover? Why didn't I know?"

Sanji shot Nami a nervous look, and Nami was starting to get quite irritated. She wasn't aware of it, but she had a decidedly angry scowl on her face. Sanji stuttered a couple of times, his mouth opening and closing. "Uh…"

"I'll handle it… bring our Navigator-san up to date. Go on." Robin shooed him out firmly. Sanji appeared torn. "I insist, Sanji-kun."

That did the trick. With some stuttered thanks, Sanji hurried out. Nami turned to Robin immediately once Sanji left. "Who?"

Robin turned to look at her, her expression considering. "Who do you think?"

Nami ran over the possibilities in her mind. She didn't think Sanji would resort to zoophilia or pedophilia so Chopper was definitely out. Or necrophilia, ruling out Brook. Franky seemed too brash for Sanji, who exuded an elegant air. Her best bet was, "Usopp?"

Robin's brows went up in surprise. "Usopp?"

"I guess not then," Nami surmised from Robin's reaction. "Surely not Luffy? He, well, always seem uninterested in sex."

"Our Usopp is extremely faithful to his Kaya. And you'd be surprised by Captain-san. He may present a childish face, but he is no adolescent," Robin murmured.

"So, it's Luffy?!" Nami's voice went up. But Luffy was such a kid!

"No, I didn't say that." Robin shook her head. "It's not Luffy."

"It can't be Chopper or Brook or Franky…"

Robin looked curiously at her. "Why about Zoro?"

Nami looked at her blankly. The thought of those two idiots together boggled the mind. "No way. Not a chance in hell. They're constantly fighting; they can't get along."

Robin normally has a neutral expression but right now, she just looked faintly disappointed at Nami. "Actually, Sanji's lover is Zoro."

Nami's mind just short-circuited at that point. "Zoro's gay?!"

Robin looked thoughtful. "Actually, unlike Sanji, I think he is."

Nami grimaced, shaking her head. "I… I just can't believe it. I mean, it's _Sanji_. And _Zoro_."

Robin's expression hardened. "That's quite enough. Sanji's is quite admirable and decent. Do not speak of your nakama in such a disparaging tone."

Nami was flabbergasted. "But… it's Sanji! The lovesick idiot… he's such a doormat around women."

"He is a little naive around women, I agree, but he's just as protective even to older women and girls; I think that's his chivalry to all women. It's just a facet of Sanji's personality."

"I just can't believe he'd ever get laid," Nami scoffed. "He's so desperate."

"Though he can be a little silly at first, he really is very sweet once you give him a chance," Robin said sharply. "Sanji doesn't do all that, 'just to get laid'. In fact, I find him quite remarkable and endearing because he is quite genuine in his notions of chivalry. An extremely rare and commendable trait these days."

Nami was shocked at the way the older woman defended Sanji. Then something clicked and she eyed Robin suspiciously. "What do you mean, give him a chance?"

Robin gave an enigmatic smile. "Well, Sanji-kun isn't the awkward virgin you think he is. I think some of his behavior stems from nervousness, but once he relaxes, he can be very charming." One end of her lips quirked up. "And he is rather more experienced than I expected."

"... did you _sleep _with him?"

Robin rested her chin in her elegantly laced hands. "I did."

Nami was at a loss for words. Robin went on, "And Sanji-kun is every bit as solicitous in bed as I thought he would be. I really was pampered."

"But… but…"

"We didn't click the way soul mates would, but it was… very pleasurable… while it lasted." Robin got up to leave. But at the door, she paused and looked over her shoulder at Nami. Her eyes were hooded. "I, at least, gave him a chance. You never did, and it's now too late."

* * *

As Robin closed the galley door softly, she noticed a green-haired swordsman leaning against the wall outside, arms crossed and eyes closed.

"Worried?"

"Nah. Though the silly blond was in a tizzy." Zoro opened his eyes and pushed away from the wall. He eyed Robin thoughtfully. "You were rather cruel to her back there."

"She was cruel to Sanji," Robin said simply. She looked around. "Where's Sanji?"

"Good." Zoro smirked. "I tied him up. Didn't want him to come up here."

Robin tsked. "And while we're on the topic of cruelty…."

"I'm going." Zoro turned to leave. "...you want to join me?"

Robin raised a brow. "You're inviting me?"

Zoro shot her a dark grin. "Make no mistake. I'm very possessive. I'm _allowing_ you."

Robin thought for a heartbeat, then smirked and followed the swordsman.


	2. Chapter 2

**Too Late 2**

Nami was irritated. Beyond irritated. Angry. Pissed.

Ever since Sanji's revelation the previous day, she has been in a temper, her face as black as her thunderstorm clouds. How _dare_ he.

She hated the fact that she missed - completely missed - this. The rest of the crew were idiots and she prided herself on being the smartest, well, next to Robin of course.

More than that, she hated the fact that she misread Sanji. Sure, Robin was book-smart, but when it came to street smarts and reading people, she has always had the utmost confidence in herself. She was a thief and con artist after all. So it had shaken her deeply when she realized she had somehow, well, underestimated Sanji. She had read and deconstructed him within the first five minutes, especially how useful he could be to her, and then dismissed him until the time he could be of use to her.

Most of all, she hated the fact that, maybe, she was _wrong_. That Sanji wasn't as simple as he seemed. She thought he was strictly heterosexual, that he would always proclaim undying love for all women, and especially her.

For the past day, she started to notice things. Things that she took for granted, like Sanji's flowery words and his treats and the way he would do things for her. Things that, on closer examination now, have been reduced. He was noticeably more subdued subsequent to their conversation the day before, of course, but when she thought back… his silly behavior had lessened over time.

He used to carry her bags every time they docked, no matter how ridiculously heavy, but now that she thought about it, as she walked alone in a busy shopping street in Igot, Sanji would hurry off to do the food shopping the past few times they docked. Once she had given him the budget, she had no interest in following him to buy food, so she promptly forgot about him.

Realization dawned on her slowly and she came to a stop in the middle of the pavement, uncaring of the irritated looks shot her way. He still made the women special snacks and served them first, but snacks have been less elaborate and fancy now. More like the regular snacks the male crew got. And he stopped calling her that ridiculous endearment of Nami-swan. Only Nami-san, or sometimes, just Nami.

For some inexplicable, that last realization… hurt. She couldn't remember the last time he cooed, "Naaaamiii~swaaan!"

He still took care of her in fights; Nami remembered the last fight where Sanji quickly stepped before her and oncoming Marines. There was no change in the way he protected her… only in the way he treated her.

Nami scowled darkly, her arms already aching with the bags she was carrying. She had been so angry she indulged in some shopping therapy; now she was regretting it. Where was Sanji when she needed him?

Off with his stupid lover, that's where.

Nami stomped back to the ship, her mood thoroughly black by she got back. As she trudged tiredly up the gangplank, she looked around. She could see Usopp's long nose up in the crow's nest and she could faintly hear Chopper's high-pitched voice as he talked to himself in the infirmary. Chopper often did that as he checked off his inventory.

Nami dropped her bags back in her cabin and came out onto deck again, feeling hot and thirsty. Usually, at this point, Sanji would be at her elbow with one of his refreshing drinks. Irritated, she went into the galley. There was a container of cookies on the table and, when she unlocked and checked the fridge, a couple of large pitchers of lemonade. The lemonade was refreshing, but it was just plain lemonade. No crushed ice, no extra tang from some syrup Sanji usually adds in the drinks he makes for the ladies. And the cookies, though delicious as always, felt ordinary in the blue plastic air-tight container.

Nami wondered where Sanji was. Where everyone was.

"Usopp!" Nami stuck her head out from the galley and yelled upwards. "Where's everyone?"

Usopp leaned over the rail. "Chopper told me he's taking inventory below deck. Luffy ran off to explore the town. Sanji left again after he bought groceries, said he'd be back tomorrow. Heh heh, it's Valentine's Day after all. Franky went to buy some lumber for the ship, and I think Robin went with him. Brook said he was going to sing in the park, I don't know what he means by that. Zoro didn't tell me anything but I saw him wander off. He's probably lost again."

Nami only focused on one fact. "What? Sanji's staying out overnight?"

Usopp shrugged. "Well yeah. You told us the log pose will take three days to set."

Very often when the log pose takes more than a day to set, some of the crew members would stay ashore overnight. The Strawhats were a close-knit bunch but sometimes, they need some time away from each other. The older members - Sanji, Zoro, Franky, Robin and Brook - often chose to stay ashore. Luffy only stayed out if he got lost, while Usopp was too scared, preferring the safety of Sunny at night. Chopper never felt as comfortable as Brook in staying out, with their unusual appearances, while Nami usually stayed on the ship to save money.

"What about dinner?"

Usopp looked at her strangely. "Sanji left some food in the fridge… like he usually does. Or we could eat out."

Nami was aware she was irrationally pissed. "Argh!" She stamped back to the kitchen, also aware Usopp probably thought it was that time of the month for her. Well, whatever. Let him assume that, than realize the reason why she was so mad.

Looking at the covered dishes in the fridge, Nami lost her appetite. Sanji's food was probably as delicious as always, but for some reason, she didn't feel like eating _his_ food. Then she saw the flyer she abandoned, rolled up on a side counter.

Nami walked out again. "Usopp!"

"Yeah?" Usopp leaned over, his tone cautious.

"Come down!" She tried to sound less angry. "Come on, I've got a good place to go for dinner."

Usopp climbed down and approached her warily. "Yeah? What's that?" He started to look interested despite himself.

Nami explained and Usopp caught on quickly, shaking his head. "Oho. I know what you're really there for, Cat Burglar Nami. Nuh uh. I've got a case of cannot-get-caughtivitis."

Nami grinned, feeling better already at the thought of belli. "You want me to tell Franky who really destroyed the spare lot of lumber last week?"

Usopp paled. "That's not fair Nami! And besides, isn't Sanji a much better partner? He's good at these events _and_ he can get you out easily if things get hairy."

Nami scowled. "Don't speak to me of him. I'm rather cross with him now."

"I don't have anything fancy to wear," Usopp said, still trying to excuse himself.

Nami pulled his ear and led him towards the men's quarters. "Just borrow something of Sanji's."

"He'll kill me." Usopp's face turned green and white. "And really, Sanji's a much, much better choice for this kind of outing. He'd kill me if anything happened to you."

"Don't worry, say I ordered you to," Nami said confidently. Inside, however, a doubting little voice wondered if Sanji would really forgive this trespass from Nami. After all, she was not his Nami-swan any longer.

After much, much scolding and yelling and blackmailing, Usopp met Nami on the deck, dressed in one of Sanji's suits. The suit hung baggy on him and he had to roll up the cuffs of the pants. Nami looked a bit surprised. Sanji's suits were well-tailored; was he hiding _that_ much muscle beneath his clothes? But he always looked so skinny.

"I feel silly," Usopp complained. Even though the suit was neatly pressed, the sharpshooter looked unkempt. Grumbling, he took off the jacket. "Man, how can Sanji stand this? It's so hot! Look, I'll just wear the shirt ok?" He went back into the cabin to put down the jacket.

"Stop whining and grow a pair." Nami scolded as they headed towards town, her face red and angry. She much prefer Sanji's gushing to Usopp's complaints. And she could have saved all that time bullying Usopp into coming along; Sanji would have simply followed her.

Usopp was busy fanning himself with the flyer. He rolled his eyes. "An insult like that doesn't work on me."

"Tie your hair back or something. It looked like a bush," Nami complained.

"You refused to let me wear my bandana," Usopp shot back.

Nami grumbled and dug around her purse for a rubber band. "Here." She eyed the sharpshooter as he wrestled his curls back. "You look so messy."

Usopp rolled his eyes again. "Well, I'm sorry we can't all be as put together as Sanji. I _told_ you he would be perfect for this operation; I'm not really a frontal operative."

"There won't be any fighting or confrontation," Nami said confidently.

"I should hope not. I'm allergic to fights." Usopp eyed her. "What's up, anyway? Why isn't Sanji here? This is usually his thing."

Nami scowled. "He turned me down." She wondered why she admitted it.

Usopp goggled at her, then barked out a laugh. "He _turned_ you down?"

Nami flushed, feeling silly. She clenched her fists angrily as they walked along the street. How dare he?

"You know..." Usopp shot her a sly look. "It's about time _he_ grew a pair."

"What?!"

Usopp danced away from her fist. "Nuh uh. You hit me and you have no escort into the ball."

They walked along in silence, until Nami asked, "What do you mean?"

Usopp eyed her warily. "You're just going to hit me again. And you forget, I'm not like the other guys, I'm quite fragile."

"No, I won't." Nami marveled at how Usopp had no qualms disparaging himself, unlike the other guys.

"Well…" Usopp wavered, and jammed his hands into Sanji's pockets, probably ruining the lines or something. His voice was low and serious. "You do treat Sanji quite badly."

"What?! He practically begs for it," Nami argued.

"That's true. He is a bit of an idiot. But there _is_ a difference between 'here is my heart' and 'please stomp on it'," Usopp remarked sarcastically.

Nami couldn't believe her ears. This is the second time in as many days that someone else was defending Sanji to her. "This. Coming from you. The way he treats you, quote, shitty bastards, unquote? Why…?"

"Oh, that? He doesn't treat us that badly." Usopp looked surprised. "I mean, he calls us shitty bastards but that's just guys trash talking. It's a sign of bro-hood." He puffed up his chest.

"You're starting to sound like Franky." Nami shuddered.

Usopp deflated. "Anyway, yeah, he says all that about giving you ladies the best and us guys the trash, but he still feeds us and it's definitely not trash. Not even close. It's all good stuff. Sanji's cooking's the best I've ever tasted and I've travelled all over the Grand Line and have tried 8000 islands' cuisine. Sure, our plates are not as prettily done as your meals but we don't want that anyway. We're guys." He beat his chest with a thump.

Nami knew that. Sort of. She had to admit she never paid that much attention to the guys' plates, only that the huge amounts of meat on Luffy's were costing her a bomb.

"And while we don't get the frou-frou decorated snacks and drinks served to us, we still get yummy snacks and drinks, only we have to help ourselves," Usopp rambled on.

"What's your point?" Nami cut in impatiently.

Usopp scratched his head. "Hm. My point? Um… Oh yeah. That Sanji takes care of us... no, wait…. That you treat Sanji badly. Oh, and look. I think we're here."

Nami glowered at him, then up at the doors to the hotel where the ball was held. All right, forget about Sanji, that idiot. And ignore Usopp, that other idiot. Men, all idiots. All this… this _distraction_ was going to get her into trouble and she needed her wits about her and her utmost concentration for this.

She closed her eyes, took a few deep breaths. Then she opened her eyes wide and plastered a sickeningly wide and airheaded smile on her face. "Let's go."

A pause. Nami yanked Usopp back. "You're suppose to offer me your arm, you lout."

A pinch. "And smile and look besotted."

Another pinch. "And do pay the entrance fee."


	3. Chapter 3

**Too Late 3**

"You useless... useless... useless... IDIOT!" Nami hissed breathlessly.

"Save your breath and run!" Usopp wasn't even looking back to see if Nami was keeping up as he pumped his arms and legs furiously.

She had barely managed to lift a few purses before Usopp was caught for, of all things, acting too suspiciously. He had NOTHING to do except eat and mingle while she did her stuff, but that idiot was acting all sweaty and nervous, skulking around and looking shifty. OF COURSE security was bound to notice him. And by extension, his 'date'.

Right now, the two of them were running down a street, two security officers chasing a couple of streets behind. The two pirates had the advantage of being used to running away, but the security officers knew the town much better than they did and were gaining. The town was rich enough that the streets were well-lit, making it hard to find places to evade their pursuers.

A litany of curses ran through her head as they rounded another corner. Her heels have long been abandoned. They were still too far from the ship, and the sound of thundering footsteps behind them informed them their pursuers were gaining quickly.

"Can you do something?" She screeched at the sniper. She hadn't brought her climatact as there was no way it could fit in her dress.

"Maybe!" Usopp was frantically pawing through the unfamiliar pockets of his borrowed clothes. "I only brought one bomb and where the fuck is it argh!"

That was the trouble with relying on weapons; one can't bring them along on a stealth mission.

"Use a rock or something!"

"I'm not stopping to pick up rocks!"

Suddenly, they saw the most beautiful and welcome sight up the street: Sanji running towards them, Zoro behind him.

"Nami-saaaan!"

The two pirates gratefully came to a stop in front Zoro while the blond sailed past them. In a couple of seconds, loud thwacks from behind told them that Sanji had taken care of the security men.

"I am soooo glad to see you guys," Usopp cried out in relief. He fanned himself vigorously.

"How did you know?" Nami wondered breathlessly. For a moment, in her utter relief, she forgot how irritated she was at Sanji.

"Chopper told us, said you were coming to the town's Valentine's Day ball. Stupid cook got worried," Zoro informed them. To Nami, he sounded more curt than usual and she wondered if his cross mood was because their 'date' was interrupted. Her own mood soured.

"Oi. I was right, wasn't I?" Sanji strolled back, calm and unruffled, as if he hadn't been running and in a fight. He stopped and stared at Usopp. "What the _hell _are you wearing? You better have a good explanation."

Usopp, that coward, immediately pointed at Nami. "She made me wear this!"

"Oh, that all right then," Sanji cooed, turning to Nami. "Are you all right, Nami-san?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you Sanji-kun." Then she frowned. "Although I only lifted a few purses before we had to run."

"Do you want to go back to get more, Nami-san?" Sanji asked helpfully, looking ready to leap into action.

"No," Zoro injected rudely.

"Nobody asked you," Sanji retorted. They had a brief staring match during which their faces twitched and frowned, before Sanji huffed and looked away. Zoro shot Nami a dark look, which Nami interpreted cheekily as '_don't interfere with our hot date_'.

"Yes," Nami said, simply because she felt like saying it. She didn't really feel like going back, but anything to irritate the happy couple.

"Yes-" Sanji started to say. Nami started to feel a bit smug as Zoro's frown deepened.

"No," Zoro repeated, arms crossed. He looked immovable.

"Yeah, it's a bad idea, Nami. They'd definitely recognize us," Usopp said, sharp eyes darting between the other three crew members. A faint furrow appeared across his brows.

And then, to Nami's shock, Sanji capitulated. "Uh… I'm sorry Nami, I'd have to agree with Zoro." He looked quickly to Zoro, and then away again.

Nami was floored. Sanji _never_ said no to her; well, the previous day had been the first. And now this. Without realizing it, she had come to depend on Sanji's unwavering support, whether it was to keep their

"Come on, let go back to the Sunny." Usopp started walking towards the direction of the docks.

Still shocked, Nami started following Usopp without thinking. She had taken a couple of steps when she noticed that Sanji and Zoro were not following. She turned and looked at them quizzically.

"Sorry, Nami-san. We, uh, have some things to do," Sanji said, a light blush across his cheeks.

"Yeah, like you," Zoro muttered in a tone low enough for just Sanji, but Nami heard it. Nami had never seen that particular smirk on the first mate before, and with dawning surprise, she realized it was his equivalent of a lewd expression.

"Shut up dumbass," Sanji hissed back, his face completely flushed now. He gave Zoro a kick that would normally be hard enough to injure a normal person, but Zoro only scowled. "Anyway, please head back to the Sunny quickly, Nami. We'll be back tomorrow."

Sanji raised his voice. "And Usopp, if I hear Nami-san was hurt on your watch, I'd serve your nuts for lunch tomorrow!"

Usopp waved airily.

While Sanji was still caroling his farewells to Nami, Zoro was already dragging him off, yanking impatiently on the blond's arm. Sanji hissed something to Zoro, who muttered something back.

Nami watched them go, still a little stunned at the change in behavior of the two men. They had never acted that way before… but they must have. Just not in front of the crew, not in front of her.

"Coming, Nami?"

"Yeah…"

As they walked back, her feet moving robotically, Nami couldn't get the scene out of her mind. She had only ever seen the two of them arguing, but what happened back there, viewed through what she knew now, it didn't seem as much an argument as it was a well-worn domestic squabble.

"What was that about?" Usopp, sharp as ever, obviously had not missed the odd undercurrents.

Suddenly, Nami felt very tired. "Go ask them."

"No way. They might kill me."

"Well, too bad."

Yeah, let those two idiots figure out how they want to come out to the crew.

* * *

Mealtimes were a little strained for the next couple of days, at least for Nami. On the surface, Sanji seemed like his usual self as he doted on the girls. But now that Nami was _looking_, she was noticing all sorts of little things.

Sanji still fawned over them, but hm, it had more of a ...brotherly air now. Compliments were provided, dishes were gorgeously decorated, food was protected from Luffy's wandering hands. But Sanji did all that without an air of some trying to impress, but rather because he was, well, fond of them.

And outside of mealtimes, she hardly saw Sanji. She realized that it was Sanji who usually sought her out, offering her a drink or asking if she needed any help with anything at all. Sometimes, he just looked for her to talk. She rarely went to look for him unless she needed him to do something.

It was, Nami realized a little guiltily, a rather one-sided relationship.

Sanji did not come round to look for her and that left her… hanging. She didn't know how to go about approaching him, even if she wanted to. Not that she wanted to.

It didn't help that whenever she saw Zoro, he was frowning at her.

Still, this situation was awkward and she didn't know what to do. They were all part of the crew; they lived and worked together. So it was understood that any relationship problems should be solved, and fast. If there was any problems between them in the past, and it did happen a few times, it was usually Sanji who made the first move and did all the work, apologizing profusely. Even if it wasn't his fault.

One morning, Nami was walking along the deck when she noticed Sanji under her mikan trees, watering each tree carefully, occasionally pausing to prune off a dead twig or leaf. She stopped in surprise and watched. Her trees have to be tended to a couple of times a week, depending on the climate zone they're travelling through. Sanji helped her so often she had told him he need not check with her anymore.

But she did not expect Sanji to be still doing all these tasks for her

"Nami-san! Good morning!" Sanji caught sight of her and waved cheerily. Then, taking note of her lack of greeting, he faltered and lowered his watering can. "Uh, I hope you don't mind, I mean, if you prefer to tend to your trees yourself…"

"Why are you still doing this?" Nami blurted out.

Sanji blinked, then understanding lit his eyes. "I do it because I want to."

"But…" Nami didn't know how to word it without being crass.

"I really do enjoying doing things for you and Robin-chan," Sanji went on, a goofy smile on his face. "Women deserved to be treated well."

Nami walked away, trying to process what he said.

The idea that he was completely altruistic and sincere was incomprehensible to her. Everyone did something for a reason that benefitted themselves. Even Sanji. He provided special service to the ladies and all because he wanted a girlfriend of his own. Didn't he? All his 'snacks of love' and 'drinks of passion', all his carrying of their bags when they go shopping, all his fervent proclamations that he would protect them in battle; he _wanted_ something from them, right?

Except, he now has a _boyfriend_. And he has been with that person for a while. And yet, even with a male lover, his behavior hadn't changed much. He was still the idiot who would do ridiculous things for women and still refuse to fight women.

_Why?_

Nami knew she was selfish, knew the world out there was fundamentally selfish. She liked it that way; it made sense. Who would do something for somebody else without getting anything in return? Even guys who did stupid things for their girlfriends; they were getting something out of it, eventually.

Everyone was selfish. That was a fundamental truth in her world. Right?

_Right?_

Robin was seated at her usual chair on the deck, reading under the shade of a large deck umbrella, and Nami came to a stop beside her. She needed to talk to somebody, and sank down into another chair beside Robin.

"Robin, I don't understand…"

"Hm?" The older woman placed a bookmark in her book and closed it, a curious look on her face.

"Why… Even now… Doesn't he already have a lover?" Nami spluttered, waving her hand in the general direction of her mikan grove.

Robin looked at her. "I'm afraid I don't understand."

Nami paused, gathered her scattered thoughts. "Sanji-kun. He's so… good. I've never met anyone who's genuinely altruistic."

"He is." Robin smiled gently. "But then, they all are. Everyone. I've never met such a crew."

Nami ran a hand through her hair, thinking. Yes, that was true.

"Still… but Sanji… he…" Nami shook her head, wondering how to put into words her irrational irritation and anger. "Don't you feel irritated by his behavior? That it's too cloying?"

"No; I've accepted it as part of Sanji-kun. I find him very sweet. Yes, he can be taken advantage of by women, and to me, that is just something that we should protect him from." Robin's eyes sharpened as Nami flushed. "What I find interesting is your reaction."

"My... reaction?"

Robin leaned forward slightly, resting her chin on an upturned palm. Her dark eyes studied the younger woman dispassionately, and Nami leaned back unconsciously.

"Why are you so angry?"

"Because…! Because… " Nami flailed, trying to put into words her jumbled thoughts.

"Do you want Sanji?"

"No!" Nami thought about Sanji, about his ridiculous swanning around and his dependability and his nosebleeds and his strong kicks and his stupidity towards women and his wonderful cooking.

"No!" Nami insisted again.

Robin merely continued to stare silently at Nami, who looked away. Then she smiled thinly, turning away back to her book. "Then, you have no reason to be angry or upset, do you?"

Nami huffed, got up, and stomped off.


	4. Chapter 4

**Too Late 4**

Nami paid more attention to Sanji after that; he became a puzzle she wanted to solve. And the more she saw, the more she realized there was more to Sanji than she though; she thought she got him mapped out but he was really uncharted territory.

Waking a little earlier than usual one morning because of the colder climate they were travelling through, she made her way down to the galley, thinking to grab a warm drink. Outside the galley door, she heard some voices inside and paused.

One of the voices belong to Sanji, of course. He was always the first crew member up so that breakfast would be piping hot and ready by the time the rest of the crew stirred.

The other voice belonged to Robin. Curious, Nami placed her ear to the door and listened.

She could hear little sounds that indicated that Sanji was cooking; the tink of a spoon on a dish, the clatter of a pan on the stove. Robin was telling Sanji about something she read from a book. The cook kept mostly quiet as he worked, but his occasional thoughtful questions showed that he was listening to Robin.

That was one of the nice things about Sanji. When it came to the girls, he always listened to them. The rest of the crew members had little patience or interest, and often drifted away if Robin talked about history or if Nami talked about maps. But Sanji always listened.

Nami placed her hand up on the cool wood of the door, smiling softly.

Next to the girls, Sanji probably knew the most about history and map-making. As she continued listening, she realized that though she had not seen Sanji read one of Robin's book, he actually knew a lot. As she continued listening to their quiet conversation, Nami could tell this was not the first time Robin and Sanji have talked about this topic.

Sanji was, Nami realized, quite intelligent. Not the bookish intellect of Robin or Chopper, or the mechanical intellect of Franky or Usopp. Instead, he was more the street intellect, like Nami. She had seen him haggle for groceries and pick out the best of the crop with a discerning eye; that's why she always just hand him the grocery money each time they dock, assured that he would spend it shrewdly. Sanji was also often involved in strategy planning alongside Nami, Robin, and Usopp.

Sanji was one of their strongest fighters, alongside Luffy and Zoro, and sometimes she forgot that he was one of their smartest crew member too.

Did Robin often have these early morning conversations with Sanji? Deep in thought, Nami walked back to the girls' cabin, her earlier desire for a hot drink forgotten. Over the next few mornings, she got up early and listened. Every morning, Robin was there, drinking a cup of coffee and chatting quietly with Sanji as he prepared breakfast. They didn't always talk about her books; they talked about everything.

She knew that Robin had a fascination with the morbid but she didn't know that Sanji had a soft spot for old-fashioned fairy tales; they found common ground in cheerfully discussing old folk tales.

"What kind of stories does Zoro like?" Robin asked one morning.

"Stories of swords, where everyone gets cut up," Sanji replied with a shudder. He was frying bacon and Nami could hear the sizzling, smell the delicious aroma. No doubt Luffy and the rest would be woken up soon.

Robin chuckled. "Those are romantic."

"How is blood and falling on one's sword romantic?"

"Well, those kind of tales are usually about honor and chivalry. Aren't those romantic?"

"True true," Sanji agreed thoughtfully. He was pretty big on the idea of honor and chivalry. "I still like the idea of the hero actually making it home though. More coffee, Robin-chwan?"

As Nami listened, she realized she wanted that. She wanted that easy friendship Robin had with Sanji.

"I was angry because I miscalculated," Nami told Robin later that day. "I thought Sanji was shallow but he's pretty smart too." And sweet, she didn't add.

Robin nodded, not saying anything.

After breakfast, Sanji liked to play with the other guys, stopping only to fix up mid-morning snacks. Sometimes the boys would fish. That meant Sanji and Zoro diving in the water, while the rest of the males sat on top with fishing poles.

Nami pushed her maps away and went over to look out of the lookout's window. Luffy's and Chopper's fishing poles never really caught anything; Usopp's and Franky's inventions could catch more. But it was Sanji and Zoro that brought in the bulk of their seafood. The two men often competed to see who brought in the largest haul, extra points given for rarer creatures. Occasionally, they would team up to bring in a sea king.

"Time's up!" Luffy yelled. The two men surfaced, dragging the catch behind them. Handing their nets up to Franky, they argued good-naturedly over each other's haul. Water sluiced down their muscles as they nimbly climbed up the ladder. Zoro was more obviously muscular, but Sanji was surprisingly cut as well.

Nami was a little surprised; Sanji often wore a suit, but standing there in a pair of speedos, she could see that, after Zoro, he was probably the most muscular of their crew. (Franky doesn't count because most of his muscle bulk was metal.)

The navigator picked up the binoculars hung on the wall and her eyes ran down Sanji's form, from his broad shoulders and well-defined abdominals to legs that can kick down a steel wall. His nipples were pale pink and hard from the cold seawater. Part of his speedos was ruched up and he absently ran a finger along the side and under his buttock to straighten it, drawing her attention to the hollow in the side of his butt and the tight curves that filled out the blue trunks.

Nami flushed, putting the binoculars down abruptly. She felt like a stalker. But damn. She'd seen the bodies of the other crew members; they tended to walk around topless half the time, but Sanji was usually formally dressed. She never knew he hid such a figure under that suit.

The more she found out about Sanji, the more she was intrigued. At the same time, she also started to notice the other crew members. She never really paid that much attention to the rest of the crew, especially the guys, until now. What she observed sometimes surprised her. Humbled her a bit.

She never knew how much work Sanji put into cooking for the crew, making snacks, and making sure their inventory was always well-stocked. Sanji often corralled the guys into fishing or shooting down birds on longer stretches between islands. Sanji, Robin and Usopp also maintained the various gardens that supplemented their greens in-between islands: a vegetable garden in the greenhouse, a small herb garden at the back of the galley, a flower garden outside the girls' cabin, and a seaweed garden in their aquarium.

She knew Sanji was one of the strongest fighters on the ship, but she never thought about how he trained. Which doesn't make any sense at all. Zoro seemed to train all the time and Sanji can fight alongside him. But while Sanji doesn't lift weights like Zoro, he does get in a lot of exercise a day, from swimming (he calls it 'catching dinner') to sparring with Zoro. She knew his favourite cast iron pans were heavy; she could not lift one with both hands, yet he handled the same pans, filled with food, with one hand easily. She wondered how much his stock pot weighed when it was filled with water.

Nami found herself looking forward to watching the boys fish more often. She told herself it was because she never realized how much work they put into stocking their larder. But her eyes kept straying to Sanji's body, enjoying the play of ivory muscles as he swam. She wondered how he remained so pale if he swam almost daily.

Nami sat still, pretending to read a book on maps in the aquarium room as she watched Sanji tend to his seaweed garden. Robin and Usopp liked gardening, but Robin couldn't tend the seaweed garden for obvious reasons, and Usopp was not as good as swimming as Sanji. The blond could hold his breath for a very long time, Nami noticed, and his strokes were powerful and sure.

A splash interrupted her thoughts. Zoro dropped into the aquarium, holding a bunch of a new variety of seaweed and coral. Grinning, the swordsman swam towards Sanji, presenting what bundle as if it was a bouquet of roses. Sanji gave him an unimpressed stare, but Zoro was undeterred, swimming close until he met Sanji in a kiss, pressing the unromantic bouquet into the cook's hands.

Nami caught her breath, eyes wide. It was the first time she seen them kiss and it was… tender. Sensual.

The two men didn't seem to have noticed her; unsurprisingly as she had chosen a seat in a corner of the room that she knew was blind to those in the aquarium. The two kissed slowly until at last, Zoro broke off with a frantic look on his face. Kicking his legs quickly, he headed up to the surface for air. Meanwhile, a small smile had replaced Sanji's previous flat look. He poked at the seaweed thoughtfully, then left the bundle on under a rock before kicking up for air.

Sanji has a surprisingly _impressive_ set of lungs.

Before Sanji returned back underwater, Nami quickly slipped out of the room. That was surprisingly hot. And she felt quite bothered.

Why?

Is it because she had never seen her crewmates before in such a light? Heck, she had never seen _any_ of her crewmates in such sensual situations. She herself was, unfortunately, quite inexperienced in such matters, despite her worldly air. She had never trusted anyone while she was with Arlong's crew to even consider allowing them near, and since she joined Luffy, the thought of seeking out romantic engagements were far from her mind.

Yet, what was seen cannot now be unseen. She felt unsettled, confused, curious. Her mind kept replaying the kiss over and over again, and she found herself wanting to see more. It irked her too. Why? Did she like Sanji?

Nami examined herself. No, no, no… she was pretty sure she didn't like Sanji that way. And she definitely did not have any romantic interest in Zoro. Nami reasoned she felt irked because obviously some people are getting _some_ on the ship and she wasn't.

While Sanji's early mornings were for Robin, Nami noticed that Sanji's nights were for Zoro. The swordsman was always the last to leave after dinner. Nami noticed the way Sanji would leave a small bottle of sake to warm in a pot of hot water as they did the dishes, and when she walked by the bow twenty minutes later, she noticed the two men sitting at a shadowed alcove, quietly talking, a small sake bottle and a glass of white wine beside them. Sanji liked to lean on Zoro, his head tucked into the crook of Zoro's neck, one hand resting casually on Zoro's thigh. Sometimes, they would kiss. Lightly, almost chastely. They were still above deck and in the open after all.

They weren't obvious with their relationship, but they weren't hiding it too. Now that Nami was looking, she noticed the little differences, the way they would stand a little closer, the little touches. They were just very discrete. Nami wondered if the rest of the crew noticed.

And after drinking at the bow, the two men would disappear. Nami never thought about it before, but now that she noticed, she was overcome with curiosity. _What _were they doing, and _where_?

She started searching, quietly, around the ship. The Thousand Sunny was pretty big for a crew of their size, and had lots of nooks and crannies. One night, she heard muffled voices from the hold.

_Bingo_.

Creeping stealthily to the door, she tried the door. Locked.

Nami never wished she had Robin's devil-fruit ability as much as she did at that point. As it was, she could only settle for eavesdropping. There were sounds of flesh slapping flesh, clothes rustling, suspicious moist sounds… she tried to imagine the scene. Were they having sex? The thought titillated her; she was embarrassed to admit that while she knew how sex worked, she had never actually done it. And sex between two men? She… heard rumours.

Nami groused. It was so hard to _hear_; Sanji gasped and moaned a little, all very quietly, and Zoro made no noise at all. How is it that these two idiots, who disturbed the peace everyday with their noisy fights, can be so quiet?

Nami remained crouched beside the door, her overactive imagination filling in the gaping holes in the picture she _was not getting_.

A sudden curse interrupted her thoughts. _Sanji_.

"Shaddup." A hoarse whisper. _Zoro_.

Sanji moaned again, an utterly sex-drenched sound.

"Oh for fuck's sake-"

And then there was silence.

Nami waited. And waited. Did they fall asleep? Did they come? What the _hell_ were they doing? She raised a cool hand to her cheek, which she _knew_ was probably bright red and blushing.

There were a few quiet murmurs, and then, silence again. Finally, tired of waiting, she slowly stood up, shaking the pins and needles from her legs. Nami had a naughty smirk on her face as she walked back to the cabin she shared with Robin, and that night, she fell asleep to imagined scenarios of what happened behind that door.

That next morning, she scrutinized the two men carefully over breakfast. They seemed no different; no hickeys, no limping (she put her money on Sanji being the bottom). They acted as they always did, bickering and shoulder-bumping, though it was all good-naturedly.

The more she looked, the more she noticed: there was this odd aura of relaxedness about them, of calmness. The more she looked, the more she felt… gauche. Young.

It felt as if the two men had suddenly become more mature, not boys anymore, though she knew they were all about the same age. Were they always like this? She felt as if they had moved on and become more comfortable, more worldly, while she remained looking at their backs and tittering about childish issues.

Her earlier smugness on what she overheard the previous night drained away, leaving her feeling small and shallow. She felt like she had intruded on something precious and private.

When Nami got up to leave, she noticed Zoro already carrying the dishes to the sink for Sanji, muttering something about getting Franky to build a dishwasher for Sanji, and she was suddenly struck by an epiphany.

She was envious. Envious of what they have, this passion and partnership. Envious of the physical intimacy and mental connection. Sanji had come knocking on her door before but foolishly, she had dismissed him and kept her door closed. And now, Sanji had moved on and she only just realized that Sanji was a lot more than what she thought.

She was regretful. Sanji was sweet and good-looking, considerate and strong, smart and brave. She could have fallen for him, in fact, she probably has fallen a little already. As Robin chided her before, maybe they could have clicked, or they might not have.

But it was too late now.

As she closed the galley door behind her, Nami realized she had foolishly let a treasure slip through her fingers.

- End -

* * *

"Does Nami seem a bit odd, during breakfast?" Sanji asked.

"No, not really." Zoro had noticed Nami's odd behavior, but he didn't feel like talking about her. He had noticed her looking at them strangely all week, especially Sanji, and he didn't like it. So he changed the topic. "Hey, I was asking Franky yesterday about a dishwasher."

He passed another rinsed dish to Sanji to dry.

"You did? That's a great idea!" Sanji beamed, forgetting his earlier concern about Nami. "We had one at the Baratie for the small stuff like cups and dishes, though we still had to wash the pots and pans by hand. I thought about asking for one but it seemed so extravagant to request a dishwasher for a crew of nine."

Zoro handed over another wet dish. "With Luffy's appetite, it's more than a crew of nine. We have our own shipwright; that's pretty luxurious too. Might as well make use of him. Besides, you have better things to do with your time than dishes."

Sanji gave him a leer. "Like you, perhaps?"

Zoro leered back. "Exactly."

"You're so sweet." Sanji leaned over and gave him a quick kiss.

Zoro rolled his eyes, handing over yet another dish.

* * *

A/N: And that's it! This story is meant to be from Nami's point of view (except for a couple of omakes), and fairly short.

Please review!


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